President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (3rd from right) raises the hand of his older sister, Senator Imee Marcos (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite--Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas campaign manager, Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco says they will respect reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos' decision if indeed she will no longer join the slate' campaign rallies.

In a press conference here Friday, March 21, Tiangco was asked to react to Senator Marcos' statement wherein she said that she no longer feels comfortable taking parts in the administration slate's rallies.

This, after she criticized her brother, President Marcos' administration for allegedly surrendering former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March 11.

Duterte is now being detained and tried by The Hague-based ICC for crimes against humanity in connection his administration’s bloody war on drugs. 

Tiangco said that as of Friday, Senator Marcos haven't said anything about no longer appearing on the campaign stage with other Alyansa senatorial bets.

"Wala naman siyang sinabi (She didn't say anything). But if that is her stand and we will respect her stand," he said.

"So mas mabuti na ngang sinabi niya ‘yon, at least alam namin ang stand niya tungkol dito sa Alyansa (It was actually better for her to say that, at least we know her stand about Alyansa).

"But formally she has not informed me but if that’s her official statement then I will take it as is," Tiangco underscored.

The top endorser of Alansya is President Marcos himself. 

The detained Duterte chairs the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which is fielding its own group of "senatoriables" for the May 12 mid-term elections.

The 79-year-old Duterte remains so popular that many politicians felt compelled to show support for him following his arrest and subsequent turnover to the ICC earlier this month.

One of them was Senator Marcos, didn't show up for the big rally at the capitol grounds here on Friday night. She also wasn't mentioned by President Marcos during his endorsement speech.

Curiously, Marcos included Alyansa bet Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar in his endorsement speech, even if she was also absent on stage Friday.